Rotor machine device

ABSTRACT

A rotor machine arrangement comprises a rotor, a stator, at least one guide vane, which at two opposite ends is supported by the stator, and at least one end is pivotably arranged relative to the stator in at least a first plane, and at least one conducting member arranged to conduce a fluid into the guide vane for influencing the temperature of the same. The rotor machine arrangement comprises a sealing element which is pivotably connected with the guide vane in at least a second plane, is arranged to seal between the stator and the guide vane, and the sealing function of which is essentially independent of the angular position between the guide vane and the stator in said first plane.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART

The present invention concerns a rotor machine arrangement, comprising arotor, a stator, at least one guide vane, which at two opposite ends issupported by the stator, and at at least one end is pivotally arrangedrelative to the stator in at least a first plane, and at least oneconducting member, arranged to conduct a fluid into the guide vane forinfluencing the temperature of the same.

Such arrangements are previously known in gas turbine arrangements, inwhich said fluid may be compressor air which has been drained off from acompressor included in the gas turbine arrangement, wherein the rotormachine arrangement in which said guide vane is provided is a turbine.The compressor air is used for cooling the guide vane from its interior.Small holes are arranged in the blade itself of the guide vane such thatthe compressor air is allowed to flow out from the same and into the gasflow channel of the turbine. Thanks to the cooling of the guide vane,too large temperature induced dimensional changes and heat influence onthe material which shortens its life time may be reduced.

Usually the compressor air/cooling air is conducted through tubes and/ordrilled holes in stationary stator parts to inlet chambers arranged atthe two opposite ends of the guide vane. When the guide vane at both itsends is supported by the stator, or, more precisely, by guide vanecarriers secured to the stator, the guide vane must be able to be tiltedrelative to surrounding stator parts because of the different axialmovements which exist between the inner stator part which supports theone end of the guide vane and the outer stator part which supports itsother end. By axial movements is meant movements in the axial directionof the rotor. Due to the fact that the pressure drop across the guidevane is large it is thereby difficult to avoid unwanted leakage ofcooling air and gas around such tiltable, pivotable guide vanes. Leakageof compressor air which may not be used as cooling air into the gas flowchannel of the turbine and leakage of gas out from the gas flow channelof course reduce the efficiency of the gas turbine arrangement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the present invention is to achieve a rotor machinearrangement of the initially defined kind which is arranged to prevent afluid which is conducted into a guide vane for influencing thetemperature of the same from leaking out between the stator and theguide vane even at different adjusted angles/pivotable positions betweenthese in said first plane. Alternatively, a limited but controlled suchleakage may be permitted, which leakage is essentially independent ofsaid adjusted angles.

This purpose is achieved by means of a rotor machine arrangement asinitially defined, which is characterised in that it comprises a sealingelement which is pivotably connected with the guide vane in at least asecond plane, is arranged to seal between the stator (11) and the guidevane (15), and the sealing function of which is essentially independentof the angular position between the guide vane (15) and the stator (11)in said first plane. The first and second planes are thereby preferablyany of the planes in which the rotor axis of the rotor machinearrangement extends, here preferably parallel, and define preferably oneand the same plane.

According to a preferred embodiment, the sealing element comprises afirst sealing member arranged to seal between the guide vane and thesealing element, wherein the sealing function of said sealing member isessentially independent of the angular position between the guide vaneand the sealing element in said second plane. Since the sealing elementseals in this manner against the guide vane, a necessary condition foravoiding leakage of the fluid is given.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the sealing element ispivotably arranged relative to the stator in said second plane. Theposition of the sealing element may thereby be adjusted to a pivoting ofthe guide vane in the second plane in such a manner that the conditionsfor the function of the first sealing member will be good even atrelatively large tilts of the guide vane relative to the stator.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the arrangement comprises asecond sealing member, arranged to the seal between the sealing elementand the stator, wherein the sealing function of said sealing member isessentially independent of the angular position between the sealingelement and the stator in said second plane. The probability for a gasleakage or an air leakage via possible gaps between the surroundingstator parts and the movable component which the sealing element definesis thereby reduced.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the first sealing membercomprises a bulge which extends around the outer circumference of thesealing element. The sealing element may thereby easily be constructedas a tube piece, arranged to be pushed into a recess of the guide vane,wherein the bulge, which preferably has a gently rounded outerperiphery, may easily be formed in such a way that it allows a certainrelative pivoting/tilting between the guide vane and the sealing elementat the same time as it still sealingly abuts these. The bulge ispreferably secured to and forms a part of the sealing element itself.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the second sealing membercomprises a bulge, which extends around its outer circumference of thesealing element. It is preferably secured to and forms a part of thesealing element. It is thereby made possible to position the sealingelement in a recess of the stator, preferably carrying members of thestator which are arranged to support the guide vane. The sealing elementpreferably has, in the area of said bulge, the shape of an essentiallycircular tube on the outside of which the bulge is provided. Such adesign generates good conditions for both good sealing and relativemovability between the sealing element and a recess in the stator, inwhich recess the sealing element is provided.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the sealing elementcomprises a cylinder body with an annular cross-section and with twoannular bulges, each of which extends around the outer circumference ofthe sealing element and defines the first and the second sealing member,respectively. A sealing element with such a construction may easily bebrought to abut guide vane carriers and recesses at end spaces of theguide vane. For example, a cooling medium/compressor air may via achamber be conducted into the sealing element and via this element intothe guide vane without any essential amount of the medium leaking outbetween the sealing element and the guide vane carrier into the flowchannel of the rotor machine and without a gas to any larger extentleaks the opposite way. Furthermore, the cooling medium which has beenconducted into the sealing element will be prevented from leaking outvia some gap between the sealing element and a recess of the guide vanein which the sealing element is introduced.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the guide vane is pivotablyarranged relative to the stator at both ends, a further conductingmember is arranged to conduct the fluid influencing the temperature tothe second end of the guide vane, and one sealing element with saidfirst and/or second sealing member is arranged at each of the ends ofthe guide vane. A very good supply to the guide vane of for examplecooling air from a compressor included in the rotor machine arrangementor connected thereto is thereby achieved at the same time as a possibleleakage of cooling air outside of the sealing elements and into the gasflow channel of the turbine is kept at a reduced level.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the rotor machinearrangement comprises a plurality of guide vanes, arranged in a ring andeach of which is connected with said conducting member, wherein firstand/or second sealing members are arranged at each of the guide vanes.Such an arrangement is in particular advantageous when the rotor machinearrangement comprises a turbine, where said ring of guide vanes is thefirst of a plurality of rings as seen in the flow direction of theturbine and said ring is arranged in the area of an inlet to theturbine, where the gas flowing in is very hot, has a high pressure andwhere the individual guide vanes at two opposite ends are attached to aradially outer and a radially inner stator part.

Further features of and advantage with the rotor machine arrangementaccording to the invention will be clear from the following descriptionand from the appendant claims.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the rotor machine arrangement according to theinvention will now be described by means of a non-limiting example andwith reference to the appendant drawings, on which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view from the side, showing a rotor machinearrangement according to the invention, and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view from the side of a part of the rotormachine arrangement, and

FIG. 3 is a sideview of a sealing element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

The rotor machine arrangement according to the invention defines a gasturbine arrangement 1, which is clear from FIG. 1. The gas turbinearrangement 1 comprises a compressor 2 and a turbine 3. Furthermore, itcomprises a combustion chamber 4 of an annular kind. At the combustionchamber 4 a plurality of burner members 5 are arranged. These arearranged to cause combustion in the combustion chamber 4 for generatinga hot gas in the same. The combustion chamber 4 is at one of its endsprovided with an outlet opening via which the generated gas may flowinto and run the turbine 3. The compressor 2 is primarily intended todeliver a compressor medium, in this case compressed air, to the burnermembers 5, which use the compressor medium/air for their combustionfunction.

The compressor 2, the combustion chamber 4 and the turbine 3 areco-axially arranged and connected with each other in that order.

The compressor 2 comprises a stator 6 and a rotor 7. The stator 6comprises a plurality of guide vane rings 8 which in a known mannercomprise a plurality of guide vanes.

The rotor 7 is formed by a plurality of disks 9, which preferably arewelded together by means of electron beam welding. Radially outside ofthe rotor disks 9 rotor blades 10 are arranged on the respective rotordisk 9.

The turbine 3 comprises a stator 11 and a rotor 12. The rotor 12 may,such as here, comprise a plurality, in this case three, rotor disk 13,on which rings of rotor blades 14 are arranged in a manner known per se.The stator 11 comprises arrays of guide vanes 15, which in a mannerknown per se are arranged in rows. With reference to FIG. 2, an uppersection of the stator is shown. The guide vanes 15 in the row which ispositioned closest to the inlet opening 16 of the turbine 3, i.e. theguide vane row positioned most upstreams, are at opposite ends carriedin a radially outer stator part 17 and a radially inner stator part 18.The guide vanes 15 are thereby pivotably connected to intermediate guidevane support members 19, 20, which are attached to the outer 17 andinner 18 stator part, respectively.

Between the guide vane support members 19, 20 and the respective statorparts 17, 18, ring-shaped chambers 21, 22 are arranged. The ring-shapedchambers 21, 22 form thereby part of conducting members 23, 24, viawhich cooling air is conducted to the guide vanes 15. Sealing elements25, 26 which define end portions of the conducting members 23, 24 arethereby arranged to conduct the cooling air from the chambers 21, 22 tothe ends of the guide vanes 15. The sealing elements 25, 26 compriseshort, radial tubes which are arranged to sealingly abut the guide vanesupport members 19, 20 and the inner circumference of a respectivesleeve 27, 28, wherein said sleeves 27, 28 are arranged in recesses inthe respective ends of the guide vanes 15 and secured to the guide vanes15. The tube formed sealing elements 25, 26 have in one of their ends aring-shaped bulge which extends around the outer circumference of thesealing element 25, 26, which has a rounded outer contour, preferablyspherical, and which is arranged to abut the inner circumference of aguide vane support member 18, 19 which is connected with and forms partof the stator 11. In its opposite end, the sealing element 25, 26 has afurther bulge 31, 32 which also extends around the outer circumferenceof the sealing element 25, 26 and which has a rounded, preferablyspherical, outer contour and which is arranged to sealingly abut theinner circumference of a recess in the guide vane end or, moreprecisely, a sleeve 27, 28 arranged therein. Thanks to the bulges 29-32,the sealing element 25, 26 may be tilted relative to the guide vanesupport member 19, 20 and the sleeve 27, 28 which it abuts withmaintained sealing ability. Such a situation arises normally inconnection with the temperature influence of the gases onto therespective stator parts 17, 18 of the stator 11. This temperatureinfluence causes mutual displacement of the stator parts 17, 18 in theaxial direction of the turbine 3, and consequently a tilting of theguide vanes 15 which are connected with the respective stator parts 17,18, in planes in which the rotor axis (x) of the rotor machinearrangement, or, more precisely, of the rotor 3 extends.

The cooling medium which is used in the manner described above forcooling the guide vanes 15 is preferably air which has been drained offfrom the compressor 2 and via a separate, not more closely shown systemfor draining off is conducted to the conducting members 23, 24 and viathese into the interior of the guide vanes 15. The guide vanes 15 arefor this purpose formed to be hollow and have small holes arranged toconduct the cooling medium further out into the gas flow channel when ithas served its purpose.

In particular, the tilting of the guide vanes 15 will take place in aplane which extends essentially in parallel with the axial direction ofthe turbine 3. Thanks to the fact that the contact surfaces of thesealing elements 25, 26 with the stator 11 and the guide vanes 15,respectively, in the manner described above are essentiallybarrel-shaped, the sealing elements 25, 26 may, however, be tilted inall directions without any increased air leakage from the ring chambers21, 22 into the gas flow channel 33.

From FIG. 3 it is clear in more detail how the short, tube-formedsealing elements 25, 26 at their opposite ends are provided with gentlyrounded bulges. Consequently, the sealing elements 25, 26 have a waist34 with a somewhat smaller outer circumference than the surroundingbulges 29-32.

It should be understood that a number of variations and alternativeembodiments to the above as an example shown embodiment will be evidentto the person skilled in the art without this person thereby leaving thescope of the invention, such as this is defined in the appendant claims.

With the concept “independent of the angular position” in thisapplication is primarily referred to the angular positions which may beexpected to appear between the components involved in a rotor machinearrangement of the described kind, i.e. relatively small tiltings ofguide vanes and sealing elements.

With a pivotably arranged guide vane relative to the stator is primarilymeant pivoting as a consequence of mutual displacement of the outer andinner stator parts 17, 18 with which the guide vane 15 is connected atits opposite ends. The pivoting of the guide vane should thus not beconfused with the kind of conventional rotary movement which such aguide vane of course may present. The displacement of the stator part17, 18 takes place because of temperature influence and preferably inthe rotor axis direction x of the turbine 3, and causes thereby atilting of the ends of the guide vane 15 relative to the guide vanesupport members 19, 20 in which they are pivotably, i.e. tiltably,arranged.

What is claimed:
 1. A rotor machine arrangement, comprising a rotor, astator, at least one guide vane, which at two opposite ends is supportedby the stator and at both ends is pivotably arranged relative to thestator in at least a first plane, and at least one conducting memberarranged to conduct a fluid into the guide vane for influencing thetemperature of the same, the rotor machine arrangement comprises atleast one sealing element, which is pivotably connected with the guidevane in at least said first plane and which is arranged to seal betweenthe stator and the guide vane, wherein the sealing function of saidsealing element is essentially independent of the angular positionbetween the guide vane and the stator in said first plane, wherein thesealing element comprises a first sealing member arranged to sealbetween the guide vane and the sealing element, wherein the sealingfunction of said first sealing member is essentially independent of theangular position between the guide vane and the sealing element in saidfirst plane, wherein the sealing element is pivotably arranged relativeto the stator in said first plane, wherein the sealing element comprisesa second sealing member, arranged to seal between the sealing elementand the stator, wherein the sealing function of said second sealingmember is essentially independent of the angular position between thesealing element and the stator in said first plane, wherein said rotormachine arrangement comprises at least two said sealing elements,wherein one such sealing element is positioned at one end of said guidevane and a second such sealing element is positioned at the opposite endof said guide vane.
 2. A rotor machine arrangement according to claim 1,wherein the first sealing member comprises a bulge which extends aroundthe outer circumference of the sealing element.
 3. A rotor machinearrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second sealing membercomprises a bulge which extends around the outer circumference of thesealing element.
 4. A rotor machine arrangement according to claim 1,wherein the sealing element comprises a cylinder body with annular crosssection and with at least one annular bulge which extends around theouter circumference of the same and defines the sealing member.
 5. Arotor machine according to claim 1, wherein the sealing elementcomprises a cylinder body with an annular cross section and with twoannular bulges, each of which extends around the outer circumference ofthe sealing element and defines a respective sealing member.
 6. A rotormachine arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the sealing elementprojects into a recess at the end of the guide vane with which it isconnected.
 7. A rotor machine arrangement according to claim 6, whereinthe first sealing element is arranged to abut the inner circumference ofthe recess.
 8. A rotor machine arrangement according to claim 1, whereinthe sealing element projects through a support member connected with thestator and arranged to support the guide vane, and in that the secondsealing member is arranged to abut an inner circumference of the supportmember.
 9. A rotor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a furtherconducting member is arranged to conduct a fluid influencing thetemperature to the second end of the guide vane.
 10. A rotor machinearrangement according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a plurality ofguide vanes, arranged in a ring and each of which is connected with saidconducting member, wherein first and/or second sealing members arearranged at each of the guide vanes.
 11. A rotor machine according toclaim 1, wherein said first plane is one of the planes in which therotor axis of the rotor machine arrangement extends.